(Trenton) - New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced State Street lane closures this weekend, and a long-term traffic shift on I-280 westbound starting next weekend to allow for bridge replacement work, as the I-280 and Route 21 Interchange Improvements Project advances in Essex County.

State Street Closures at:
Beginning 8 p.m. Friday, December 9, until 5 a.m. Saturday, December 10, NJDOT’s contractor, George Harms Construction Co., Inc., is scheduled to install pedestrian and vehicular traffic control barriers on State Street in Newark, in order to advance bridge foundation work on the I-280 and Route 21 interchange Project. The following changes will be in place for approximately one year:

• Right turns from Broad Street onto State Street will be prohibited.
• State Street will be reduced to one lane of traffic only, traveling eastbound from Martin Luther King Boulevard to Broad Street.
• Westbound State Street traffic will be for outlet use only onto Martin Luther King Boulevard.
• State Street pedestrians will be required to use the south-side sidewalk only, as the north-side sidewalk will be closed for bridge construction work.
• At times, a full State Street pedestrian detour will be required.

I-280 Traffic Shift:
In addition, starting at 10 p.m. Friday, December 16, until 5 a.m. Monday, December 19, NJDOT’s contractor, George Harms Construction Co., Inc., is scheduled to shift I-280 westbound to the right onto two new temporary travel lanes on the north side of the bridge between the William A. Stickel Memorial Bridge in Harrison and Clifton Avenue in Newark. The I-280 traffic shift will allow for the demolition and replacement of the bridge, and the construction of new roadway sections. The new configuration is expected to be in place for a year. A wide-load restriction will be enforced.

The $93 million federally-funded project, which started construction in September 2015, will demolish and replace existing structurally deficient bridge decks and reconfigure the I-280 and Route 21 interchange to provide full movements and consolidate entrance points. NJDOT has coordinated with local officials throughout the design and construction process. The project is being accomplished in stages and is expected to be completed in early 2019.

Variable message signs are being utilized throughout the project limits to provide advance notification to motorists of all traffic pattern changes associated with the interchange improvements project. Throughout the project, NJDOT will provide information before upcoming road closures.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT's traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NJDOT_info.